We've had some cool stuff show up at CLT, but today's visitor is the current leader for Catch of the Year...

Dubai Air Wing / Royal Flight 747-400

We're not sure why it's here - one rumor is that one of the princes in the Dubai royal family has been attending UNC Charlotte and just graduated, so he's heading home, but there's no confirmation of that. In any case, it's a great catch!

We had an AirX Charter A340 drop in to Charlotte today. AirX is out of Malta, and they were carrying the Borussia Dortmund soccer team for a match Sunday against Liverpool F.C. in the International Champions Cup.

A Virgin Atlantic A340 brought Liverpool in from the UK early this morning - they arrived at 6:15am, and departed three hours later. Needless to say, I didn't catch it. The game is Sunday afternoon, and hopefully I'll get to shoot the AirX (and maybe whatever picks up Liverpool) when they depart.

Caught this USA Jet DC-9-32 on the cargo ramp. She was built in 1976, making her 42 years old, and was originally delivered to the Kuwait Air Force as a VIP transport.

The real reason I was out at CLT today - the New England Patriots arrived for a Friday night game against the Panthers. The registration, N36NE, is blocked on FlightAware, but checking flights between PVD and CLT for today, there was one listed as UDG4322 on a 763. Turns out they use the call sign "Underdog".

The G-Men are in the house! The NY Giants play the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. The team charter was a UA 764 (which arrived earlier than I thought) but team co-owner Steve Tisch's Gulfstream G-IV arrived later this afternoon.

Took a ride to CLT this afternoon to get a few shots of the Antonov that showed up at 2am.

While we were shooting the Antonov, I saw something unusual arriving on 36R and I realized it was the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital DC-10!!! Orbis operates this aircraft in developing countries to provide eye care, as well as to teach local doctors. It is a state-of-the-art facility with operating rooms and teaching areas. This aircraft was donated to Orbis by FedEx, who also provide maintenance. It replaced an earlier DC-10, also donated by FedEx. In 2009, the older DC-10 was at LGA for several days, and a group of us got to tour it and see the onboard medical facilities - I think a few folks here were on that tour.

Another interesting visitor to CLT this weekend - Nolinor 737-300. Nolinor is a Montreal-based charter operator, and they flew the Laval Rocket minor league hockey team in to play the Charlotte Checkers.

Also at CLT on Sunday - Hawaiian A330 charter for the Seattle Seahawks, who played the Carolina Panthers Sunday afternoon. HA flies the Seahawks and Oakland Raiders, so when I saw the Seahawks would be in town this season, I made sure to watch for this one. I caught one of their 767s a few years ago when the Raiders were in town.